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Recreation
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Keeping homes inhospitable to nuisance raccoons
Question: Raccoons come up through the culverts in our neighborhood and are causing a lot of trouble.
Last year, there was one that tore a vent off our house and got in the subfloor and tore up our ducts under there. This year one of them attacked my dog in our back yard. The vet bill was very expensive.
Can I trap them in live traps and have animal control euthanize them for me? (Kathy C.)
Answer: You can trap them but Animal Control may not want to euthanize them for you. Your best course of action is to concentrate on making your house and yard inhospitable.
Bolster up your exterior vents and doors to prevent raccoons and other unwanted wildlife from moving in to use for cover. This also means remove all attractants (dog food, fallen fruit, koi ponds, water fountains, etc.). Even water can be an attractant, especially this year.
If you do all of this but continue to have a problem, the law allows that it is legal to kill raccoons at any time when they are causing damage.
Some excellent additional information is available online from the UC Integrated Pest Management Program at www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/menu.house.html#VERT .
Measuring short lobsters without bringing them onboard
Question: When hoop netting for lobsters from a boat, how are we supposed to bring the nets to the surface and accurately measure the lobsters without pulling the hoop nets onboard?
The law states that it is illegal to bring any undersized lobster onboard any vessel, but it is virtually impossible to measure them while hanging over the side of the boat, especially when it’s dark, there’s a swell in the ocean and the boat is bobbing up and down.
I’m asking because recently a friend of mine was cited for bringing up his net and placing it on the deck of his boat so he could measure his catch. Can you please clarify this? (Miguel Z.)
Answer: Lobsters cannot be brought onboard boats or kayaks for measuring and must instead be measured at the waterline. Pull up the hoop net, step on the line and lean over and measure it … though I know, easier said than done in the dark and in rough seas.
California spiny lobsters must measure a minimum of three and one-fourth inches along a straight line on the mid-line of the back from the rear edge of the eye socket to the rear edge of the body shell.
Lobsters may be brought to the surface for the purpose of measuring, but no undersize lobster may be brought aboard any boat and retained.
All must be measured immediately upon being brought to the surface. Any undersize lobster must be released immediately into the water.
In addition, spiny lobsters shall be kept in a whole, measurable condition, until being prepared for immediate consumption (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 29.90).
Transporting migratory game birds
Question: I know the rules state that while bird hunting you must leave a fully feathered wing intact until you get home. When I get back to my trailer at camp (which is considered my second home), can I remove the wings, vacuum seal the bird and freeze it, or do I have to wait until I actually get to my primary home? (Rob D.)
Answer: All birds, including migratory game birds, possessed or transported within California must have a fully feathered wing or head attached until placed into a personal abode or commercial preservation facility or until prepared for immediate consumption. Doves must have a fully feathered wing attached (CCR Title 14, section 251.7(b)).
Waterfowl and other migratory birds that are going to be transported anywhere must have a fully feathered wing or head attached (except for doves, which must have a wing attached). A trailer in camp is not your “abode.”
Selling mounted trophies
Question: I received a collection of museum-quality African game trophies in a divorce settlement and would like to sell them. I recently moved to California but the mounts are still in Alaska. They are not animals that exist in California. Can I sell them on eBay?
I want to unload these animals legally. I have read the statutes. I need to know if I can work with someone in Fish and Game, show them the collection, and get their advice. Alaska Fish and Game already gave me an email saying they could be moved to California and sold. (Mary Jane S., Sacramento)
Answer: You should contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about any mounts that you would like to import to California and sell.
The sale of birds or mammals found in the wild in California is prohibited by Fish and Game Code, section 3039.
In addition, California Penal Code, section 653o prohibits the importation for commercial purposes, sale and possession with intent to sell a number of African wildlife species that may be in your collection.
Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at
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- Written by: Jennifer Hanson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Channel Cats traveled to Fort Bragg last weekend to compete against more than 300 swimmers from Northern California in the “Thankswimming Classic” meet hosted by the Mendocino Coast Sea Dragons.
Nine swimmers competed on behalf of the Channel Cats earning a combined total of 22 first place finishes and shaving time off of critical events.
The Channel Cats welcomed back Charlie and Robin Adams, who are once again swimming under the Cats banner.
Charlie, age 14, could not have done better at the swim meet, claiming first place victories in all eight events he entered and topping the boys “A” division.
Robin Adams, age 12, competing in the “B” division for all eight of her events, finished as high as fourth in the 500 Freestyle event.
Maddy Madrzyk, the youngest Channel Cat at the meet and also able to finish all of her races in the “B” division, finished as high as second in the 100 Breaststroke.
Nikki Hanson, age 15, earned two first-place finishes – one in the 200 Breaststroke and the other in the 200 Individual Medley.
Max Madrzyk, age 15, grabbed four first-place victories – 100 Backstroke, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Butterfly and the 200 Individual Medley.
Seventeen-year-old Tim Peterson secured a total of five first-place finishes – 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 200 Backstroke, 100 Butterfly, and 200 Individual Medley.
Another 17-year-old, Owen Lawler, gained two first-place finishes in the 100 Backstroke and the 200 Breaststroke.
In her first year of swimming, 14-year-old Mikayla Parrott took significant time off of the two events she entered and finished as high as fifth in the 50 Freestyle event.
Jadyn Copas, age 11, finished as high as 19th in the 50 Freestyle event.
The Channel Cats continue to swim at Quail Run Fitness Center and will next compete in Santa Rosa on Dec. 12 and 13.
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- Written by: Ron Hallman
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The HVL Men’s Niners Golf Club held a stroke-play tournament on Nov. 19.
The results were as follows:
– First flight: Don Herndon finished on top with net 31. Stan Kalata, Bob Chesnut and Bill Kyle tied for second at 32.
– Second flight: Paul Bertlin was first, 32. Paul Peterson and Al Burrows tied for second, 33.
– Third flight: Byron Hoss had the lowest net of the day, 30. Doug Carter, Adckinjo Esutoki and Bob Schossler finished second at 36.
Closest to the Par 3 pins were Bill Kyle and Bill Eagleton.
Chip-ins were scored by Gary Foote and Jim Brown.
Forty-five men participated in this event.
Ron Hallman is publicist for the HVL Men's Niners Golf Club.
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- Written by: Editor
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The Hidden Valley Lake Women’s Golf Club held a nine-hole turkey shoot on Nov. 19.
The results are as follows:
– Flight one: First place, Joy Ryan, net 35; second place, Mariana Bendinelli, net 37; third place, Adele Curtain, net 40.
– Flight two: First place, Kit Hoss, net 37; second place, Julia Yamashita, net 39; third place, Gwen DeRosa, net 45.
– Flight three: First place, Linda Millard, net 39; second place, Diana Schneider, net 40; third place, Floydean Greenlow, net 45.